_png.png)
Fun Things to do in Atlanta
Georgia
Search activities
city guide
Atlanta is known all across the world for its incredible hand in the art scene, music culture, and popular films. Atlanta's rich history has shaped not only our city, but also our country into what it has become today.
Best time to go
The best time to visit Atlanta is from March to May, when you can take advantage of mild weather while enjoying the city's concerts and outdoor activities. Though you'll also have access to various events between June and August, Atlanta summers are notoriously hot and humid, and room rates are at their highest.
Fun city facts and activities
- With so many varied things to do in Atlanta, its one of the best cities in America to visit and enjoy whether youre a local looking to rediscover the citys wonders or an out-of-towner who doesnt know the difference between sweet tea and Peachtree.
Since 1996, when Atlanta hosted the Summer Olympics, Georgias capital has enjoyed a slow and steady rise in popularity. Sure, countless business types pass through the city annually here on a work trip for Coca-Cola, CNN, Delta, or any of the other major corporations who call the ATL home but more and more leisure travelers have been coming through town, firmly positioning the area as one of the most popular and beloved destinations in all of the South. (Take that, New Orleans.)
And it's not hard to see why: The Souths largest city boasts historic sites and attractions, awesome music venues like the Fox Theatre, a vibrant nightlife scene and even an eclectic range of activities to tackle with the kids in tow. Be sure to come with an appetite, as Atlanta carries bragging rights for some of the countrys most delicious restaurants.
Neighborhoods to explore
- Summerhill
Buckhead Village
Westview
East Atlanta
Knight Park/Howell Station
Piedmont Heights
Underwood Hills
Restaurants
Food Specialties
- When it comes to Southern food, Atlanta has long been a hub, offering every kind of down-home, meat-and-three treasure you can imagine. But in recent years, the city has seen its culinary scene continue to expand and grow, drawing more and more attention from the national food media.
Some of these eating spots are architectural gems, while others are hole-in-the-wall spots hidden away from the bright lights and media attention. Just know that some of Americas best chefs call the ATL home, which explains why more and more culinary travelers are adding Atlanta to their foodie bucket list. So whether youre looking for a quick meal, a leisurely brunch, or a luxurious dining experience, the city has what you need.
Atlanta Offbeat activities
Free or cheap things to do
1. Atlanta Movie Tours: Take a tour of all the filming locations of your favorite movies and TV shows that were filmed in Atlanta.
2. Atlanta Food Walks: Join a guided tour of Atlanta's most popular food spots and learn about the city's diverse food scene.
3. High Museum of Art: Explore the largest fine art museum in the Southeast and see works from a variety of time periods and cultures.
4. Atlanta Zombie Apocalypse: Experience the thrill of a zombie apocalypse as you navigate your way through a series of obstacles to survive the night.
5. The World of Coca-Cola: Take a tour through the history of the iconic brand, sample some of the worlds most popular beverages, and explore the interactive exhibits.
6. Atlanta Pinball Museum: Step back in time to the golden age of pinball and play on over a hundred vintage pinball machines.
7. Escape the Room: Test your problem
Fun things to do in with kids
Free or cheap things to do
Both trendy and genteel, Atlanta mixes Southern charm with a lively bar scene, renowned restaurants, and a thriving culture scene. And while these are all fun for adults, what about the kids? With attractions and activities for all ages (not to mention attention spans), this Southern city packs plenty of family-friendly attractions, too. The best things to do with kids in Atlanta are the types of activities adults can get behind, too.
The sprawling metropolis offers everything from quiet parks and bustling markets to mesmerizing museums and outdoor attractions. Youll find unique, only-in-Atlanta experiences that even hyped little ones will enjoy as much as cranky teens. Want to burn off some energy? Rent bikes and pedal the Beltline. Want to keep the little ones focused? The Georgia Aquarium will hold their attention while teaching them a thing or two. Cant seem to keep their feet planted on the ground? A visit to the Delta Flight Museum (complete with immersive flight simulations) will make their imagination soar.
City data and FAQ
Do you need car to visit Atlanta?
Depends on what you want to see. If your staying in the city I would not bother with a car. Marta and Uber will work just fine. If you decide to visit the suburbs or North Georgia then yes get a rental.
Rick Szymke Lives in Atlanta, GA
Unless you are going OTP (Outside the Permeter), the Marta subway, Lyft, and your feet can get you to most of the fun stuff. We're about to go to DragonCon in Atlanta for Labor Day. Our car will stay parked except to visit OTP friends and restaurants.
You wanna eat on Buford Highway or see a Braves game, rental car would be better. It's easy peasy to get from Atlantic Station in Midtown to the Mercedes on foot. From Hartfield-Jackson Airport, Marta will take you most places. Enjoy your trip!
David Tehranchi - Lives in Memphis
What is most known in Atlanta?
Home of the great Dr. Martin Luther King, and the cradle of the Civil Rights movement; in the spring, the north of Atlanta and the northern Atlanta suburbs are the most beautiful of any large city I have seen _ the floral fauna and spring explosion of blossoms and flowers is beautiful and unlike any other mid to large city that I have seen, and Ive seen many; restaurants in Buckhead; Braves are World Series champs, in spite of the ridiculous woke decision to take the All-Star game out of Atlanta just because voter ID requirements were inacted!! I loved it when the Braves shoved it up the commissioners hoo-hoo by winning it all; Gladys Kinght and the Pips; chicken and waffles _ delish; some great Southern food in several restaurants; bar-b-que; only a 1.5 hour drive to the North Georgia Mountains; home of Newt Gingrich; home of many hip-hop artists; College Football champions University of Georgia, just a short drive away in Athens, GA; College Football Hall of Fame; the capital of Georgia that has provided, along with Oklahoma, the greatest number of country music stars over the plast several years; home of several large corporations including UPS, Coca Cola, Yamaha Mortorsports, Honda Motorsports, American HQs for Mercedes and Porche; one of the four largest cities for HQs in the restaurant/food industry; a large city with friendly people that still have the southern charm; ridiculous volumes of traffic nearly all the time; lovely four seasons without the cold extremes of Northern winters; probably the best city in America for opportunities for young black professionals; home of the worlds largest airport by volume, Hartsfield - Jackson International Airport (the joke is that when the holy rapture happens, it will go through the Atlanta airport); home to several soul and R & B stars, including Mariah Carey and the late Whitney Houton.
Robert Gowens Lives in Georgia (2007 Present)
With diverse, vibrant communities, a booming economy, and plenty of green spaces everyone from millennials to retirees are moving to Atlanta from all over the country. It's easy to fall in love with a city that boasts walkable neighborhoods, award-winning restaurants, historical charm, and subtropical, sunny weather.
Marie Seinfeld Lived in Atlanta, GA (1979 2019)
Its the first major US city not to be a seaport or river port. It was founded when Geogia drove out the Indians from North Georgia and built a state owned rail line down from Chattanooga, TN to attract the rail lines being built by the cotton exporters of Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA. This created the first overland conncction between the Atlantic and the Ohio River, a tributary of the Mississippi and became a rich trade route. Youll notice that the US National Highway System and the Interstate systems still follow the general routes of the old rail lines.
John Martin Lived in Atlanta
There's so much. Martin Luther King Jr. It's the Hollywood of the East coast. They're filming movies all over the place constantly. It is a huge Hub of the music industry. The burning of Atlanta was instrumental in the good guys winning the Civil War. And that's just the tip of the iceberg as far as I'm concerned.
John Brown Lives in Atlanta, GA (1973 Present)
Are two days enough to visit Atlanta?
Yes, 2 days is PLENTY. Theres lots of great food. Get some decent BBQ at Community Q and fried chicken at any number of places and then go to a more interesting city.
Harry Roberts - PhD in San Diego State University
You've got Junkman's Daughter and Crystal Blue in Little Five Points. There's the aquarium, (do not pay the extra for the behind the scenes tour because it's nothing but looking at Plumbing, with an extremely short stint of being around sea life that's inconsequential), and the Atlanta zoo, both of which are $50 to go enjoy. There's Atlanta Motor Speedway which is straight down 19/41, (Terra Boulevard), and there's always something going on there on the weekends that's very inexpensive to do. Then there's Stone Mountain, the laser show at Stone mountain, and be sure that you have 4 hours to leisurely walk up the mountain (and the $30 a head to ride back down on the Skylift), there's Piedmont Park, which you can get a cheap fishing license and go fishing in the ponds there, but you can't keep anything, not that you'd want to. There's Pendergrass Flea market, about an hour north of 85, only open on Saturdays and Sundays. I mean this flea market has everything including livestock. It's very entertaining and you can get neat stuff there, which junk man's daughter has very neat stuff there as well. Like little keepsakes you can take home for memories. While you're in little five points, park on the street, not in a parking lot, because if you leave the store that you are parked at to go walk around, you have a $250 boot put on your car. So park on the street. There's hot rods and exotic cars all over the place. The car culture here is pretty insane, in a good way. At Atlanta Motor Speedway on Friday nights before the pandemic, you could go watch people put their own vehicles on the drag strip for $10 a head. And if you wanted to put your own car on the strip, you could do so for $20. For $20 you can go back in the pits and you can see a bunch of really neat vehicles of every genre and type. This is a very fun city with a lot of good people. There's a lot of people that don't like it because of the amount of black people here, and Prejudice is never good in any amount.
John Brown Lives in Atlanta, GA (1973 Present)
You will be able to see some things in just two days. But like most large cities, to fully take it in spending more days in the metro area is better. To enjoy the many fine restaurants in Buckhead and the many fine homes, the college football Hall of Fame, etc. will require more days. There are many things to enjoy in the suburbs as well. Alpharetta is just to the north of the city limits and has fine restaurants and attractive countryside, and is home to the very upscale Avalon community _ a collection of upscale boutique shopping, fine restaurants as well of very good casual dining, very nice upscale residences including condos/apartments and single family dwellings mixed among the attractive shopping areas. There are many gorgeous living areas in the northern suburbs of Atlanta. And if you have the time, a one day round trip to Blue Ridge in the northern Georgia mountains is a fun trip _ highly recommended.
Robert Gowens Lives in Georgia (2007 Present)
